Novation's Launchpad Now Shipping

Launchpad is a compact controller designed to give electronic music makers of today the most interactive experience possible in Ableton Live. It communicates bi-directionally with the software to give users real-time session feedback: now you really can Play Live.

Launchpad has been jointly designed by Novation and Ableton, to bring the features of Live to the fingertips of the modern musician. The 8x8 grid of backlit buttons addresses a multitude of functions, with the help of mode selectors that transport the user around the Live interface.

Flip from launching clips to tweaking mixer settings in a stroke. Launch your song into a heavy build-up, then switch to a synth or a drum machine for an impromptu solo at the touch of a button.

The device itself is bus-powered from a single USB connection, and has a ten-inch square desktop footprint. Rubber feet ensure Launchpad stays secure on the surface on which it's placed, and an optional padded neoprene travel sleeve is available. It ships with a USB cable, plus a DVD ROM with Mac and PC installers for a special 'Launchpad Version' of Ableton Live 8, as well as 1GB of sample content from Loopmasters and Mike The Drummer. It also comes Automap enabled.

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